President Donald Trump has announced new ‘secondary tariffs’ on Venezuela that impose a general 25% levy on exports from any country purchasing Venezuelan oil.
The tariffs come as US-Venezuela relations sour due to President Trump’s discontent with Venezuelan Dictator Nicolas Maduro’s immigration policies as well as his undemocratic practices.
Trump blamed Venezuela for “purposefully and deceitfully” sending tens of thousands of illegal immigrants to the US, many of them criminal gang members from groups like Tren de Aragua (TDA).
Additionally, Trump claimed, “Venezuela has been very hostile to the United States and the Freedoms which we espouse.”
Ultimately, Trump announced that “any Country that purchases Oil and/or Gas from Venezuela will be forced to pay a Tariff of 25% to the United States on any Trade they do with our Country (US).”
As of 2024, Venezuela’s largest oil purchasers were China (68%), the US (23%), Spain (4%), Cuba (4%) and Singapore (1%).
US purchases were enabled by former President Joe Biden’s deal with Maduro, where the former lifted oil sanctions in exchange for free and fair election assurances from the latter.
Despite promises of allowing free and fair elections, the Venezuelan regime barred opposition leader Maria Corina Machado from participating in the same.
However, Machado invested her political capital into former Venezuelan Ambassador Edmundo Gonzalez, who subsequently won the presidential elections.
Subsequently, Gonzalez was forced to seek political asylum in Spain after the Maduro regime rejected the election results and threatened to arrest him.
Trump rescinded President Biden’s Venezuela sanctions relief shortly after becoming president.
Venezuelan dissidents and American lawmakers alike have commended Trump’s Venezuela policy.
Opposition leader Machado described earlier sanctions imposed on Venezuela by the Trump administration as a “huge step” for Venezuelans fighting for Democracy.
Republican Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) hailed Trump’s secondary tariffs and described Trump as “standing against anti-American adversaries.”
“Finally, we have a true leader in the White House who treats enemies like enemies, and who holds accountable those who enrich our adversaries with lucrative oil deals,” said Representative Diaz-Balart.
